Page:Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography Volume 1.pdf/96

ALB the colonies and heathen, served him as texts for chosen thoughts and forcible phrases, many of which are current to this day, though men who use them forget their origin. Happily, the Society of Arts adopted the suggestion made by Lord Ashburton in 1857 for a publication of the prince's speeches; and in few works is there so much condensed practical wisdom as in the volume of his addresses on public occasions, which appeared in 1858. These his sayings were public and avowed; but his best deeds were anonymous, for he ever remembered that he stood behind the throne of the sovereign. Towards the close of the year 1861, the country was startled by the announcement that he was dangerously ill. His disease was gastric fever, which soon assumed a typhoid form, and at ten minutes before eleven o'clock on the night of Saturday, 14th December, he yielded back his soul to God. He died in the "King's room" at Windsor Castle, where George IV. and William IV. had breathed their last. Her majesty, the prince of Wales, the Princess Alice, the Princess Helena, with the prince and princess of Leiningen, were by his side when he expired. He was buried at Windsor on the Monday week following, plainly by his own desire, but in the presence of the most illustrious men in church and state, assembled to do honour to his obsequies. Never, perhaps, has there been such a mourning in the annals of the empire; that for Nelson was not so universal, that for the Princess Charlotte was not so deep. For the first time in history, probably, the flag at the Tuileries was hoisted half mast high in reverence for the memory of an English prince. On the meeting of parliament in February, 1862, the chiefs of the great parties of the state in both houses of the legislature, vied with each other in the splendour of their encomiums; while there was an evident determination to avoid, during the session, every topic of discussion which could add to the sorrow or anxiety to the widowed queen. A subscription, which soon amounted to £50,000, was at the same time set on foot for a monument to his memory. The new edition of Tennyson's Idylls of the King, contains an exquisite summary of the prince's character, of which the following is part:—

Statues of the prince have been erected in a number of the chief towns of the country, and in August, 1865, the queen, accompanied by her family, presided at the uncovering of one raised to his memory in Coburg.

The following are some of the titles of the late prince:—He was allowed that of Royal Highness, 6th February, 1840; was appointed field-marshal, 8th February, 1840: knight of the garter; chancellor of the university of Cambridge, 1852; colonel of the 11th Hussars from 30th April, 1840, to 26th April, 1842; colonel of the Scots Fusilier Guards from April, 1842, to September, 1852; knight of the golden fleece of Spain, 1841; grand master of the order of the bath, 1843; governor of Windsor Castle, 1843; lord-warden of the Stanneries, 1842; high-steward of Plymouth, 1843; master of the Trinity house, 1852; president of the Zoological Society, 1850; of the Horticultural Society, 1858; of the British Association, 1859; and knight of the Seraphim (of Sweden), 1856.—T. J.  ALBERTANO, governor of Gavardo in the thirteenth century, during the reign of the Emperor Frederick II. He was, during the political troubles which then agitated Italy, cast into prison, where he occupied his constrained leisure in composing several Latin treatises on moral subjects, which were published at Florence in 1610.—J. B.  ALBERTI,, a celebrated man of letters, and architect, born in 1404; some say at Venice; others, at Florence. At the age of twenty he published a Latin comedy called "Philodoxias," in which he imitated the ancients so successfully, that in 1588 Manuzio, the younger, published it under the name of Lepidus, an ancient comic poet. At a later period he wrote on several branches of science in the style and spirit which were then prevalent; but his best known work is the "De Re Ædificatoria," which has gained him great fame, having been translated into Italian, French, and English. But it was as much by his own architectural works as by the principles he promulgated in his book, that he won for himself the titles of the Florentine Vitruvius, and the restorer of the architecture of Italy. He erected various famous edifices in different parts of Italy, but his greatest work is the church of San Francisco at Rimini. He died in 1484—J. B.  ALBERTINELLI,, an Italian historical and portrait painter, born at Florence about 1467. He studied at first under Cosimo Rosselli, but soon joined his friend and schoolfellow Baccio Delia Porta, better known as Frà Bartolommeo di S. Marco, with whom he worked until the latter entered the order of Dominican friars. This separation proved fatal to the artistical career of Mariotto. He grew tired of painting, and turned tavern-keeper for a while; but soon disgusted with such occupation, left it to resume his artistical pursuits in Rome. After having executed a few pictures of a sacred character, he returned to his native city, where he died of melancholy and exhaustion about 1512. Albertinelli entirely adopted the style of his friends, and left several excellent works, many of which are now in the galleries of Florence, Paris, Munich, and Berlin. His masterpiece, the "Visitation," is in the first of these places.—R. M.  ALBERTINI,, a learned Florentine, who lived in the beginning of the sixteenth century. He devoted himself to the study of antiquities, and produced some able works.  ALBERTINI or ALBERTI,, an Italian physician, who produced a work in three books on the diseases of the heart; Venice, 1618, 4to.  ALBERTINI,, an Italian theologian, born at Parenzo in 1732. He studied at Venice, and became a member of the order of St. Dominic, and ultimately professor of theology in the college of the Propaganda at Rome. Died 1810.  ALBERTINUS,, born in 1560, a German poet of considerable satirical power. He was private secretary to the Elector Maximilian of Bavaria, and produced several works in history and general literature. Died in 1620. <section end="96H" /> <section begin="96I" />ALBERTO,, an Italian painter of the fifteenth century, a native of Ferrara, and pupil of Angelo Gaddi. His pictures at Urbino and Città di Castello are remarkable for beauty of colouring and delicacy of design. Died about 1450. <section end="96I" /> <section begin="96Jnop" />ALBERTOLLI,, an Italian artist of eminent merit and unparalleled virtues. He was the reformer in decoration at the same time that Canova and Hamilton were regenerating the other branches of art. Born in 1758 in Canton Ticino, he distinguished himself at the Milanese academy, where he ultimately became director of the school of ornaments. In this capacity he published a series of ornaments of exquisite beauty, such as had never been witnessed since the best days of the Cinquecento. Many and highly distinguished have been his pupils, amongst whom were Ferdinando Albertolli his nephew, D. Moglia, and the brothers Brusa. The Emperor Napoleon, Francis I. of Austria, and Alexander I. of Russia, all vied in bestowing marks of their admiration upon the venerable artist. Arrived to an advanced age, he retired from the direction of the school, being succeeded by his nephew and D. Moglia; but remained attached up to his death, in 1845, to the academical council, in which his sound judgment and vast erudition proved of immense advantage to art in Italy. The great Thorswalden used to say that it was worth a journey to Milan only to see and hear this great man, most appropriately surnamed the "Nestor of Modern Art." His death, although a natural event at so advanced an age, was considered by the Italians as a national calamity.—R. M. <section end="96Jnop" />